KEEP THY HEAR

A Tender Heart Is a Wise Heart

ANCHOR SCRIPTURE

Proverbs 28:14 (KJV) “Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.”

1. FEAR GOD

Honour God, respect His Word and follow His instructions.

A heart that respects God is guided by wisdom.

2. DON'T HARDEN YOUR HEART

A hardened heart rejects correction and refuses to learn.

Stubbornness can take you where wisdom would have protected you.

3. STAY TEACHABLE

Be willing to listen, accept correction and change when you are wrong.

Proverbs 12:1 (KJV) “Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge...”

4. GUARD YOUR HEART

Forgive.
Repent.
Listen.
Learn.
Accept good counsel.

Don't allow pride, pain or offence to harden your heart.

KEY LESSON

1. Fear God.
2. Stay humble.
3. Accept correction.
4. Keep learning.
5. Guard your heart.

FINAL CHARGE

A soft heart listens.
A humble heart learns
A hardened heart stumbles.

Keep your heart tender before God, and let wisdom guide your steps.

SHORT PRAYER

Father, give me a humble and teachable heart. Keep me from pride, bitterness and stubbornness. Help me to accept correction, learn from my mistakes and walk in Your wisdom. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Prepared by Rev. Frank Fabian Aidoo +233544295158

PROVERB OF THE DAY

(Proverbs 25)

1. These also are
proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:

2. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

3. As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

4. Take away the dross from silver,
And it will go to the silversmith
for jewelry.

5. Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne will be established in righteousness.

6. Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of the great;

7. For it is better that he say to you,
“Come up here,”
Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

8. Do not go hastily to court;
For what will you do in the end,
When your neighbor has put you to shame?

9. Debate your case with your neighbor,
And do not disclose the secret to another;

10. Lest he who hears it expose your shame,
And your reputation be ruined.

11. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.

12. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.

13. Like the cold of snow in time of harvest
Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.

14. Whoever falsely boasts of giving
Is like clouds and wind without rain.

15. By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.

16. Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.

17. Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he become weary of you and hate you.

18. A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.

19. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.

20. Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

21. If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

22. For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
And the LORD will reward you.

23. The north wind brings forth rain,
And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

24. It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

25. As cold water to a weary soul,
So is good news from a far country.

26. A righteous man
who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.

27. It is not good to eat much honey;
So to seek one’s own glory is not glory.

28. Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY 25TH AUGUST 2026

TOPIC: FEAR GOD, PART 1

MEMORIZE:
"But the Lord your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies." 2 Kings 17:39 (KJV)

BIBLE READING: PSALM 112:1-9
1 Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

5 A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.

6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.

9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

MESSAGE:
The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10); therefore, anyone who does not fear God is not wise. He is a Consuming Fire (Hebrews 12:29), and those who do not fear Him are truly foolish because even a mad dog fears fire. Psalm 111:10 also means that those who fear God become wise.

Apart from wisdom, however, there are many other benefits to fearing God, and today's Bible reading outlines many of them. One of the benefits is that the seed of a person who fears God will be mighty upon the earth (Psalm 112:2). That same verse also tells us that the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Psalm 112:3 says that you will have access to wealth and riches when you fear God. Also, Psalm 112:7 says that you will not be afraid of evil tidings. People who fear God do not need to be afraid of anything because He will deliver them out of the hands of all their enemies and everything that can harm them.

Those who do not fear God will find it easy to commit sins, and this can bring a curse upon them and their descendants. For example, Gehazi's lack of fear for the Lord caused him and his descendants to become carriers of the leprosy that was previously upon Naaman (2 Kings 5:20-27). Whenever a person acts in a way that shows that he or she does not fear God, such a person robs his or her children of the opportunity to be great and exposes them to curses rather than blessings.

Joab was another person whose lack of fear for the Lord brought curses upon his lineage. In (2 Samuel 3:27-29), the Bible details how he tricked Abner and murdered him in cold blood. When David heard about it, he placed a curse on Joab's lineage that sicknesses, leprosy, poverty, weakness, and untimely death would befall Joab's family and his descendants. People who do not fear God purchase trouble for their children.

Beloved, if you want your future and that of your children to be glorious, you need to have the fear of God in you. If you're going to have peace of mind in your old age, you must fear God. The reason I am sure that my tomorrow and those of my children will be alright is that I fear the Lord. I pray that your life and those of your descendants will be filled with blessings and not curses, in Jesus' name.

KEY POINT:
The fear of the Lord guarantees God's blessings for you and your lineage.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR:
EZEKIEL 5 - 8

HYMNAL 7 - I AM THINE O LORD
1 I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
and it told Thy love to me;
but I long to rise in the arms of faith,
and be closer drawn to Thee.

REFRAIN:
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
to the cross where Thou hast died;
draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
to Thy precious, bleeding side.

2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
by the pow'r of grace divine;
let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
and my will be lost in Thine.

[Refrain]

3 O, the pure delight of a single hour
that before Thy throne I spend,
when I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend!

[Refrain]

4 There are depths of love that I cannot know
till I cross the narrow sea;
there are heights of joy that I may not reach
till I rest in peace with Thee.

[Refrain]


PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL.
Tuesday 25th August 2026 FEAR GOD, Part 1
‎
‎PRAYER POINTS
1.God of all wisdom and might, the One who made the heavens and earth with no pillars in between; You laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed

2.Father, the earth and the fullness thereof is in Your care, and by You we have the fullness of life through Christ Jesus.

3.Father, by Your wisdom You made the sun to rule the day, and the moon and stars to rule the night. The heavens declare Your glory, and the firmament shows Your handywork.

4.Father, please help me to fear You, and to walk in complete obedience to Your word, so I can become wiser, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, please help me to walk in Your fear, so I can be delivered out of the hands of all my enemies, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, please help me to walk in holiness and in Your righteousness so it will become practically impossible for me to commit sin, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, please help me to fear You so I won't miss the opportunity to be great and be exposed to blessings rather than curses, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, please help me not to purchase trouble for my children for lack of fear for You, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, please put Your fear in me so my children and I will have a glorious future, and peace of mind in my old age, and in Jesus' name.

10.Father, please let my life and those of my descendants be filled with blessings and not curses, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, thank You for the life of Your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.
‎
Help him to abide in Your fear for the rest of his life, till You come again in glory, in Jesus' name. Bless his children (biological and spiritual). Help him to continue to produce sons and daughters to Your glory, in Jesus name
‎
‎12.Father, please bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, with wisdom and favour. Answer all his prayers beyond measure, and all those who have been broadcasting them, in Jesus' name.
‎
‎13.Father, please let every challenge and temptations, hindrance and obstacles of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus name.
‎
‎14.Your personal petitions.
‎(Philippians 4:6)
‎
‎15.In Jesus name I pray.
‎(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
‎
‎#Godblessournation
‎

PROVERB OF THE DAY

(Proverbs 25)

1. These also are
proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:

2. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

3. As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

4. Take away the dross from silver,
And it will go to the silversmith
for jewelry.

5. Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne will be established in righteousness.

6. Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of the great;

7. For it is better that he say to you,
“Come up here,”
Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

8. Do not go hastily to court;
For what will you do in the end,
When your neighbor has put you to shame?

9. Debate your case with your neighbor,
And do not disclose the secret to another;

10. Lest he who hears it expose your shame,
And your reputation be ruined.

11. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.

12. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.

13. Like the cold of snow in time of harvest
Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.

14. Whoever falsely boasts of giving
Is like clouds and wind without rain.

15. By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.

16. Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.

17. Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he become weary of you and hate you.

18. A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.

19. Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.

20. Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

21. If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

22. For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
And the LORD will reward you.

23. The north wind brings forth rain,
And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

24. It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

25. As cold water to a weary soul,
So is good news from a far country.

26. A righteous man
who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.

27. It is not good to eat much honey;
So to seek one’s own glory is not glory.

28. Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.

• Bishops are simply guardians (episkopoi), not high-church officials.
• Pastors are caretakers (poimen), not professional pulpiteers.
• Ministers are busboys (diakonos), not clergymen.
• Elders are wise old men (presbuteros), not ecclesiastical officers.

Day - 24 - Evening

Theme: BUILDING A SAFE HOME: Creating a Marriage Where Love Respect and Peace Can Grow.

Reflection
Money can easily become a source of tension when couples stop seeing it as a shared responsibility.
Today, take a quiet moment to remember that your spouse is not your financial opponent. You are partners, and the goal is not to prove who is right but to build a secure and responsible future together.
Even when resources are limited, unity, honesty and wise planning can help protect peace in the home.

God's Word
"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour." — Ecclesiastes 4:9

Heart Check
Are we facing our financial challenges together, or are we allowing money to create distance between us?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, give us wisdom and discipline in managing the resources You have entrusted to us. Help us communicate honestly about money and make financial decisions together. Keep greed, secrecy and resentment far from our home. May our finances serve our marriage rather than divide it. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Remember
In marriage, it is not about winning the argument; it is about winning each other's hearts.

One way God cares is through his providence. What is God’s providence? We often think of it in terms of his sovereignty. The Bible says, “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Ps. 115:3). God has the right and the power to control all things. But that is different from his providence. Providence is the use of that sovereignty for the specific purpose of caring for this world and using his sovereignty for his wise purposes. One definition I found put it this way, “The providence of God is the working of God’s sovereignty to continually uphold, guide, and care for his creation.” [Helm]

PROVERB OF THE DAY

( Proverbs 24)

1. Do not be envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;

2. For their heart devises violence,
And their lips talk of troublemaking.

3. Through wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;

4. By knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.

5. A wise man is strong,
Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;

6. For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,
And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

7. Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;
He does not open his mouth in the gate.

8. He who plots to do evil
Will be called a schemer.

9. The devising of foolishness is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10. If you faint in the day of adversity,
Your strength is small.

11. Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
And hold back those
stumbling to the slaughter.

12. If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

13. My son, eat honey because it is good,
And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;

14. So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;If you have found it, there is a prospect, And your hope will not be cut off.

15. Do not lie in wait, O wicked man,
against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not plunder his resting place;

16. For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again,
But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

17. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not
Let your heart be glad when he stumbles;

18. Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him,
And He turn away His wrath from him.

19. Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the wicked;

20. For there will be no prospect for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21. My son, fear the LORD and the king;
Do not associate with those given to change;

22. For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin those two can bring?

23.These things
also belong to the wise:

It is not good to show partiality in judgment.

24. He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Him the people will curse;
Nations will abhor him.

25. But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.

26. He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.

27. Prepare your outside work,
Make it fit for yourself in the field;
And afterward build your house.

28. Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
For would you deceive with your lips?

29. Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.”

30. I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;

31. And there it was, all overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.

32. When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:

33. A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;

34. So shall your poverty come like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.

BE WISE

PROVERB OF THE DAY

( Proverbs 24)

1. Do not be envious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;

2. For their heart devises violence,
And their lips talk of troublemaking.

3. Through wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;

4. By knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.

5. A wise man is strong,
Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;

6. For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,
And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

7. Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;
He does not open his mouth in the gate.

8. He who plots to do evil
Will be called a schemer.

9. The devising of foolishness is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

10. If you faint in the day of adversity,
Your strength is small.

11. Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
And hold back those
stumbling to the slaughter.

12. If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?

13. My son, eat honey because it is good,
And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;

14. So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;If you have found it, there is a prospect, And your hope will not be cut off.

15. Do not lie in wait, O wicked man,
against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not plunder his resting place;

16. For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again,
But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

17. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not
Let your heart be glad when he stumbles;

18. Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him,
And He turn away His wrath from him.

19. Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the wicked;

20. For there will be no prospect for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21. My son, fear the LORD and the king;
Do not associate with those given to change;

22. For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin those two can bring?

23.These things
also belong to the wise:

It is not good to show partiality in judgment.

24. He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Him the people will curse;
Nations will abhor him.

25. But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.

26. He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.

27. Prepare your outside work,
Make it fit for yourself in the field;
And afterward build your house.

28. Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
For would you deceive with your lips?

29. Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.”

30. I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;

31. And there it was, all overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.

32. When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:

33. A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;

34. So shall your poverty come like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.